Hi! Welcome to Aunccia's Homepage!   CASTLES  OF GERMANY     . . NEUSCHWANSTEIN  CASTLE . . THE ROYAL CASTLE OF NEUSCHWANSTEIN (3306 FEET ABOVE SEA-LEVEL) IS BUILT IN THE STYLE OF THE LATE ROMANSQUE PERIOD OF THE EARLY 13TH CENTURY.  THIS STYLE IS OBVIOUS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDING AS A WHOLE AS WELL AS IN ITS ORNAMENTATION: THE ROUND ARCHED PORTALS, THE ARCADE WINDOWS AND TOWERS, THE POSITION OF COLUMNS AND ITS BAY WINDOWS AND PINNACLES. THIS CASTLE IS LOCATED IN THE SOUTHEASTERN CORNER OF GERMANY IN THE TOWN OF HOBENSCHWANGAU, A FEW MILES FROM BELGIUM, AND JUST SOUTH OF MUNICH. THE MAN THAT HAD THIS MAGNIFICENT CASTLE BUILT WAS, KING LUDWIGII, IN 1832.  THIS CASTLE HAS SO MUCH TO DO WITH THE HISTORY WORLD WAR II, THINGS I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE.  AS MY SON AND I TOURED THIS CASTLE OF THE SWANS, WE WERE IN AWE OF THE BEAUTY AND SADNESS IT HELD.  ONLY A FEW OF THE ROOMS IN THE CASTLE WERE FINISHED.  THE KING STAYED ONLY ONE DAY IN THIS CASTLE WHEN HE WAS FOUND DEAD IN THE LAKE BEHIND THE CASTLE.  TO THIS DAY IT REMAINS A MYSTERY ON HOW HE DIED. THE NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE WAS COPIED BY DISNEY TO USE AS THEIR CASTLE YOU SEE AS YOU ENTER THE PARK.       THIS CASTLE IS A MEDIEVAL STRUCTURE, DATING FROM THE 1500'S. CASTLE WAS LOCATED A FEW MILES FROM WHERE MY SON LIVED, IN THE TOWN OF LICHCENSTINE IN THE SOUTHERN WEST SIDE OF GERMAN , NOT TOO FAR FROM THE BLACK FOREST.  THIS CASTLE WAS BUILT ON TOP OF A TALL MOUNTAIN, BOTTOM HALF WAS CARVED FROM THE MOUNTAIN IT'S SELF.  I TOOK THIS PICTURE FROM A EXTENDED PART OF THE MOUNTAIN.      Throne Room    Armory Room THIS ROOM WAS WHERE THE MEN SUITED UP TO GO INTO BATTLE.  THE ROCK YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FLOOR IS PART OF THE MOUNTAIN CASTLE WAS CARVED FROM.  A VERY FUNNY STORY HAPPENED AS WE WERE TOURING THIS ROOM.  MY GRANDDAUGHTER KELLY,  WAS 2 WEEKS OLD AND DECIDED SHE WANTED TO HAVE LUNCH. WELL BEING THE GOOD GRANDMA  I AM (HEHEHEHE) I DECIDED TO SIT ON THIS ROCK WHILE THE GUIDE WAS EXPLAINING THINGS IN THE ROOM TO EVERYONE.  AS I WAS FEEDING  KELLY HER BOTTLE, MOST OF THE GERMANS WERE SAYING SOMETHING TO ME.  I DIDN'T KNOW GERMAN SO I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON.  AS ASKING MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM, SHE EXPLAINED TO ME.  I WAS SITTING ON A SACRED ROCK THE MEN PRAYED ON AS THEY WERE GOING INTO BATTLE.  THE GUIDE TOLD ME IT WAS OK BUT THE GERMANS FELT I SHOULD MOVE AND SIT ELSEWHERE. THIS CAVE WAS UNDER THE CASTLE AND RAN THE LENGTH OF THE CASTLE.  IT HAD MANY MANY HIDDEN ALCOVES TO HIDE IN.  THE BUILDER AND OWNER OF THIS CASTLE LIVED IN THIS CAVE FOR 17 YEARS WHEN PEOPLE FROM THE TOWN BELOW OF LICHCENSTINE WORKED THERE WAY UP THE MOUNTAIN AND TOOK OVER THE CASTLE. THIS WAS BACK IN THE 1600'S.  THERE IS NOW ONLY ONE LIVING RELATIVE OF THE LICHCENSTINE FAMILY, HE IS SINGLE AND IN EARLY 40'S.  GO FOR IT GALS.   GET YOUR FREE HOME PAGE HERE     BACK TO HOME PAGE       PLEASE SEND ME E-MAIL WITH COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS "OR JUST SEND ME MAIL"